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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Tax Time in Uruguay

It is time for the real estate tax, or Contribucion as they like to call it. I like the Uruguayan way. It sounds like I have voluntarily decided to support my local infrastructure. But taxes have gone up, this year. Instead of $481 (2010), this year's taxes are $517 (up $36 for those of you who are math challenged, or too lazy to get a calculator). Now, keep in mind that this includes trash pickup, twice (sometimes 3 x's a week). When you consider that, it is quite a bargain, no?

Also, for being a good taxpayer last year, I was given a discount and for paying all at once for this year, another discount. I actually saved over $100 for being responsible. So, paying on time, pays well in Uruguay.

This past few days, I have spent a few hours painting some of the areas that have been peeling for the past few years. Every time Denise looked at her bathroom, where water damage had caused some paint problems, she quietly raged. In less than 2 days, I have managed to clear up all the little problems that have bothered her for years. The good side is that she is happy with the improvement- the bad side is that having taken only hours to accomplish "WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THIS BEFORE NOW!!!???" Well, all's well that end's well. This this year is starting out right. Let's see if we can keep it up.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The first time we came here, we had house sitters in Mexico for a month. He at one point owned a trade school, and loved to putter, and I couldn't believe how many minor projects had been done in my absence. From then on, instead of walking by something and thinking, 'one day I need to do that,' I asked myself 'What Would Ernie (our house sitter) Do?' and just did them.

AMAZING how many take 10 minutes or less! And how nice to not think about them....

~doc

Judy said...

can you tell me more about retiring to Uruguay...we have just started looking at the country, we've been researching Panama and Costa Rica...

Wally said...

Judy- Try joining this forum (http://www.sociedadsouthron.net). There are years of questions an answers that will satisfy all of your needs. If you can't use the "search" function to find an answer, you can ask the membership. That is where we got most of our information.

Anonymous said...

do you have an e mail or facebook/ We are arriving in Uruguay July 1st yes we know it's winter but since we plan on moving there we wanted to see it in the off season. We will be there until the 10th. We would love to meet you if possible we will be looking for land or a home cant decide if its better to build or buy I would love to hear from you, We live in Montana now. my face book is Melva Neal email lovinmontana@msn.com Thank you I LOVE LOVE your blog.

Seamus said...

Wally, thanks for keeping us up on the latest on taxes. But, and this is sort of an American failing, as for the comments on their being expensive or inexpensive.....The first time I went to Europe, at the beginning of the tour, the guide mentioned to us that in the '50s, many American tourists used to marvel that wine was so inexpensive. It was in fact cheaper than Coke a Cola. They all asked the vendors how they could sell wine at such a ridiculously low price.

Unfortunately, the next year when they came back, the vendors had learned their lesson and the price of wine was no longer ridiculously low. It had tripled.